Thursday, March 22 - Santi Martino e Silvestro ai Monti

This church was built by Pope Saint Sylvester (314-335) who was at the helm of the bark of Peter through the last of the persecutions and the conversion of emperor Constantine. Two hundred years later, it was later restored and rededicated to Saints Martin of Tours (317-397) and Pope Saint Sylvester. This church was the site of preparatory meetings for the Council of Nicaea (325), which was called to fight the heresies, which denied that Christ is true God and true man. This was the first church in Rome where the Nicene Creed was proclaimed.
Since this is Thursday, we also know that from ancient times,  it was a place where the poor have always been able to get food.

Tuesday - March 20 San Lorenzo in Damaso

This is another ancient church dedicated to Saint Lawrence by Pope Saint Damasus I (366-384) over his house. Today it is part of the Cancelleria, or the chancery, and houses the Holy Father's Tribunals: the Roman Rota, Apostolic Signatura, and Apostolic Penitentiary. The Roman Rota judges all judicial cases (especially marriage and rights). The Apostolic Signatura hears all cases of administrative recourse and watches over the lower tribunals. The Sacred Penitentiary hears all cases involving the internal forum. For example, there are certain sins, which only the Holy Father can absolve (i.e., a priest who reveals a confession). This tribunal will here these petitions for forgiveness in the name of the Pope.

Women Doctors in the Church & Three 20th Century Women

Today's program was presented by Dr. Donna Orsuto, S.T.D., professor at the Gregorian University, Angelicum, and other Rome schools of Theology. She offered two lectures entitled, "Three Women Doctors of the Church and their message to Priests", and in the afternoon, "Three Influential 20th Century Women of the Church."

The three doctors of the church are St. Catherine of Siena, St. Theresa of Avila, and St. Therese of Lisieux. In the afternoon, Dr. Orsuto presented the works of Dorothy Day, Edith Stein, and Blessed Mother Theresa. The power of the lessons taught by these women is in both the depth and the simplicity of the messages - which is generally true of all great spiritual teaching.

Each one cultivated a particular intimacy with Jesus and strived to give their all to the Lord who had given his all to the world.

Catherine of Siena lived in the 14th century, a time of immense turmoil in the church - plague, western schisms, and the Papacy abandoning Rome for Avignon in France. Her writings, much of which is letters, offer three themes;

• Knowing the truth about love, (she uses the phrase that God is "patso d'amore" or God is madly in love, crazy in love, with all of creation, and especially with human creation.
• Knowledge of self, and knowing God; this overlapping of knowledge creates a "cell" where we live and meet Christ.
• NOT individualism. This is way ahead of her time. She writes that we need each other. Her spirituality is a radically ecclesial spirituality.

Pope Paul VI called her, "the saint who loved the church the most."

Catherine of Siena was influential in convincing the pope to return to Rome, stop relying on the cardinals who were controling him. She called them, "the devil incarnate".

Theresa of Avila offers the church a spirituality of prayers when she says, Prayer is 5 steps.

• taking time
• frequently
• to be alone
• with Him
• who we know loves us

HOwever in the mind and heart of Theresa, all this is God's initiative, not ours.
She calls us "to do what stirs us to love"

St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) She is also known as the Little Flower.
Therese is declared a doctor of the Church, even with the writing of one small book called "The Story of a Soul". Therese contracted Tuberculosis, as a time when there was no cure. This was the great darkness in her life - knowing that she would not survive this disease. Her spirituality can be summed up by saying she lived and proposes to us a spirituality focused on a total confidence and abandonment of oneself to the merciful love of God. It is apiritual path for those who feel that they are imperfect, weak, or little. It is a spiritual path that relies on the purifying love of God that evokes in one the desire to return love for love.

Dorothy Day is a 20th century spiritual giant who began her adult life anything but holy. A common law relationship, an abortion, and weak faith. She brought her daughter to be baptised even though she was not Catholic, and through the instruction of the priest, she herself becomes a convert. She founded the Catholic Worker movement and spent her life working on the lower East side of New York City with the poor. She is know for her activism for justice, a fierce pacifism, and her work for peace. There is a great deal of information on line about her. She was an avid letter writer, and has a huge correspondence with Thomas Merton.


Edith Stein was part of a devout Jewish family in Belgium. She was a brilliant young woman who taught philosophy. After reading St. Catherine of Siena, she declared, this is the truth. She converted to Catholicsm and entered the Carmelites. After the northern European Catholic Bishops strongly denounced Hitler and the Nazis, attacks against the Jews were stepped up. Many convents were attacked and sisters who were belived to have Jewish roots were rounded up and taken to the concentration camps. Edith Stein died in Auschwitz even as she ministered to the victims of the Nazi horror.

Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Well, what can we say. She lived with us in our homes via television and media. She was the first saint to part of our daily lives all around the world. Her lessons for us can be summed up in one of her most famous statements, "Do small things with great love"

And one final mark of celebration ... even at the Vatican

March 17 Happy St. Patrick's Day

Mosaic of St. Patrick from the Irish College,  Rome

Just preparing to begin our celebrations here in the Eternal City.

Plans for the day include Pranzo (main meal) at the Abbey Tavern Pub -- suppose to be the definitive Irish pub in Rome and it is only about a 30 minute walk from the NAC.

Mass at 6pm at St. Suzanne

The Irish College celebration begins at 8pm.

’Dracula’ Bram Stoker’s classic tale of danger, mystery and excitement is the 2012 St Patrick’s Day entertainment presented by the Pontifical Irish College. Anxious to impress his prospective father-in-law, Jonathan Harker sets off from Donegal to Transylvania to assist a mysterious nobleman who is keen to buy property in Ireland. But all is not what it seems at Castle Dracula. Has Jonathan stumbled upon a vampire? Does the Count really intend on bringing death and mayhem to the Emerald Isle? And can he be stopped before it’s too late?
The play is produced by Conor McCarthy and directed by Damian McCaughan.  

Wednesday, March 7 - Santa Cecilia

Venerated as the patron saint of musicians, St. Cecilia is one of those many Romans who held steadfast to the faith in the persecutions against the Roman Church during its early years.  She was a Roman maiden engaged to be married to a pagan named Valerian.  After their marriage, she brought him to Pope Urban I.  Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Through prayers and good example, Saint Cecilia converted her husband, St. Valerian, and her brother-in-law, St. Tiburtius, to Christianity. As a result, all three were condemned to death (230). They tried unsuccessfully to suffocate St. Cecilia in her own bath by steaming her alive. Witnesses heard her singing songs to God throughout the ordeal (that is why she is the patron saint of music). They then tried to behead her. By Roman law, the executioner only had three attempts to severe the head.
The executioner, unsuccessful, ran away leaving her to slowly bleed to death. During the next few days, many were converted by her preaching. She died in a pool of her own blood, her fingers outstretched to proclaim her faith in the Triune God.

The bodies of this holy family were transferred to this church in 821 by Pope Paschal I (817-824). (See the mosaic depicting Paschal (with square nibus) giving the church to St. Cecilia who introduces him to St. Paul. Jesus in the center and next to him is Ss. Peter, Valerian, and Agatha. Below are the 12 lambs approaching Christ the Lamb of God from Bethlehem and Jerusalem.) In 1599, her tomb was opened and her body was found to be incorruptible. The sculptor Moderno was there, drew what he saw, and later made the famed statue (see photo). It' is located below the main altar.

Missing in Action???? No just Spring Break

I appreciate the emails I have received -- especially the ones expressing concern over the lack of activity on the blog the past few days.   I want to assure every one that I am not responsible for any international incidents, nor have I joined a cloistered monastery.   We are on Spring break and like most students, that means travel time.  And how easy it is to do in Europe with discount airlines, hotels and the common currency, the Euro.  Fr. Andy Prachar is here for the week so we are making the best of it.  The institute offered a trip to the Holy Land, but you may recall we did a parish trip there in 2009,  so I opted a not to go.  Instead, I would see some places that I had always wanted to visit. We left Rome last Friday for Amsterdam.  Andy had some friends to visit.  Spent most of the days sightseeing lots of museums and the various districts.  Our hotel was located at Museum Square, a little off the beaten track, but easy access by tram.  And much quieter than some of the more tourist areas. We then flew to Berlin, a city still under transition from the fall of the Wall, but certainly has come along way since its reunification.  To see so much of what was studied in World History in high school.  While most of the wall is gone, it's location is marked by a simple double row of bricks in the road and I must admit that walking 'through the wall' did evoke feelings of amazement, anger and history.  We toured the city by bus, and it is utterly amazing how far they have come in 20 years.  What was East Berlin is now a booming area of commerce, industry and homes. Visited Checkpoint Charlie one of the last remaining reminders of the Cold War, along with its museum and timeline.  How easy it is to forget some of the history of our lifetime. All over the city, there are photographs of what it looked like before, during and now after World War II.  Reminders of man's cruelty to man and the danger we all face when the power of evil is allowed to take root.  Hopefully, we will always remember the lessons learned and at what a price. We are ending the week with a trip back to Barcelona.  I went there earlier in the sabbatical and I am looking forward to spending more time exploring some of the things we did not get to see last time.  We return to Rome on Friday to be there to celebrate the high holyday (St. Patrick's Day) on Saturday with dinner and a show at the Irish College (seminary). Andy leaves on Sunday.  The program resumes on Monday. Need to mention that Fr. Clatton was a big help arranging all these flights/hotels.  The parishioners reading this will remember him from his two summers with us.  He is awaiting the date of the defense of his dissertation and the will return to India about the same time Fr. Grace will be returning in May.  He sends his regards to everyone.